


I thought you were the Butler

by iceloe93



Category: The West Wing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 15:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3138830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceloe93/pseuds/iceloe93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leo and Lord Marbury find a way to work together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I thought you were the Butler

Leo’s Office:

“Margaret!” Leo called out, a little louder than necessary.

The red head appeared instantly, an anxious look upon her sharp features; her nervous energy further irritated the already hassled Leo.

“Where’s the Further Education Funding Factors Report I asked for yesterday?” He questioned, looking at her from atop the frames of his glasses.

“It’s under the investment and risks monthly report you asked for this morning. The blue folder right by your… hand” she pointed out twitchily. 

Leo grunted his frustration and shuffled papers around, his annoyance mounting. He usually kept his temperament in check despite the infantile antics of his staff; the curiously trying indulgences of his president and the always stubborn yet mostly misguided congress always snapping up at their heels. Today had started like most days at the west wing but intelligence that India and Pakistan were in a standoff had presented itself and tensions were running high. To top that he had had a most exasperating correspondence with his ex wife, Jenny, which made him wish to return to dealing with the two aggressive nations instead. Leo was sure this day was going to end in Advils and exhaustion if at all.

He looked up to see Margaret still standing by the door, lips pursed together as if something might say something regrettably improper otherwise. Wouldn’t be the first time Leo thought tiredly, wouldn’t be the last. 

“Did ya need something?”

She shook her head severely, lips still pursed, her fingers fidgeting with themselves nervously.

He raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes. “Go sharpen something will ya?”

“Well you’re pleasant today” she shot back and walked out in a huff.

Leo inwardly groaned. He would pay for that later. That woman deserved a medal for putting up with him. Margaret synonymised efficiency. She was the most competent assistant in the west wing and as strange as she was, he was lucky to have her. She put up with him in his darkest hours, his addiction, his divorce, the scandal about the addiction, everything. He made a mental note to schedule a dozen of something floral to be sent to her desk the next day.

Right now he was absolutely certain he could not be more vexed with life. The day went on tensely. It was close to eleven pm when returned to his office from the situation room. He didn’t know how long it would be before he was called back in to tether the precarious situation that still persisted. He took the few precious minutes he had to unwind, walking around to the CD player by his bookshelf. Bach flooded through his office a second later. Leo sat back in his chair, with his eyes closed, the lines on his face easing, his right hand moving through the air in tune with the melody.  
He even started smiling a little when he sensed a presence; he opened his eyes to see his apologetic assistant and a certain ever-smug member of British aristocracy standing in the doorway. What was he doing here? Oh of course, the India-Pakistan conflict. Jed hadn’t told him that he had commissioned the services of a man Leo deemed a complete lunatic. He had failed to include that little detail in the last 16 hours that they had spent together. They would have words later.

Leo quickly grabbed the remote and turned off the music. 

“Lord John Marbury is here to see you” Margaret announced uselessly and looked as if she might half plié. 

“No kidding” Leo muttered under his breath “Thank you, you can go home now Margaret”

She looked as if she might argue but saw the look in Leo’s eyes, nodded and left without a word. 

Lord John Marbury, However, stood where he was, looking rather amused at the whole situation. His smile undoing for Leo what the music had just accomplished. 

“Your Lordship” Leo greeted curtly.

“Leo” Marbury acknowledged, foregoing the nickname he usually used for the Chief of Staff after gauging the mood the other man tried so hard to control. He sauntered into the office, overcoat draped around his arm, his tall, lean frame draped in an expensive suit. “I hope you didn’t stop the music on my account, I enjoy Bach as thoroughly as the next fellow”

Leo looked wearily on at the lanky figure approaching him. Unbelievable. Today of all days. Oh lord give me the patience to deal with this self-satisfied s.o.b and the self restraint to not punch him in his complacent mouth. He prayed. 

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“The state of the world, the decay of morality, the ardent defence of legal plurality, the incomprehensible linguistic subtleties of the Hindi language so difficult to navigate by the Anglo Saxon tongue or that this is the timing for the earliest flight I could get, commercial or otherwise” He smiled at Leo “pick one”

“Oh brother” Leo pinched the bridge of his nose. 

Marbury walked around Leo’s office, fingering the spines of his books, examining his antique impossible bottle collection, stopping by his stack of CDs. “Did you know Bach managed to sire an astonishing 20 children in his lifetime? His virility was certainly no myth. The man certainly produced more than music”

Leo was growing increasingly impatient, any other day he could’ve dealt with Marbury with grace, well as much grace as he could muster in the face of unadulterated arrogance. Today, however, he needed to stele himself and the musings of this particular Englishman were making it very difficult indeed.

Marbury suddenly turned to look at him. “Are you quite alright, Leo?” he asked, concern reflected in the dark eyes that impacted him. 

Leo was taken aback, noticing for the first time that evening that Marbury had addressed him as Leo, his given name and not Gerald, the nonsensical subordinating nickname he always threw about infuriating Leo to no end. But what most surprised him was the look of sincere concern that he had seen in the other man’s visage. 

“I’m fine” Leo replied trying to sound brusque, he added, “so you do know my name. Did they finally manage to convince you I’m not the butler?”

Marbury walked over to the couch in the office and sat down with elegance Leo knew he could never possess. His long fingers fiddled with the ashtray on the coffee table. Leo sighed. Clearly Marbury had no intentions of leaving any time soon. He looked up at Leo, looking him square in the eye he said, “I’ve always known your name Leo Thomas Mcgarry.”

Something about the way he said it gave Leo goose bumps. 

Silence hung in the air for a minute, it was almost intimate, before a staffer knocked to inform them that they had been summoned to the situation room. Marbury walked out and Leo tried hard to not follow too closely. 

 

The situation room:

Things were getting heated with differences of opinions that always manifested in situations like these. The joint chiefs were divided, as were Leo and Marbury.

“You can’t keep doing the carrot and stick routine, one of these days someone will snatch your carrot and beat you with your own stick” Leo seethed through clenched teeth, his temper was giving out.

“Why yes thank you, Gerald, having never colonised a country, the kingdom I come from must take notes from you on how to prevent wars. You who seem much more familiar and in fact proficient if I may say with the prospect of starting them.” Marbury rattled off calmly.

“isolationism isn’t the most prudent policy in today’s global age, and you know it, we can’t just cover our eyes and pretend a war half way across the world won’t effect us, given the interdependence of economies. It will launch a domino effect. The United States of America is a superpower, we have responsibilities and – why am I even explaining this to you” he turned to Jed “why am I having to explain this to him?”

“Oh yes by all means explain away, having been educated at Cambridge and Oxford, I am, as you know, exceedingly stupid.” 

The two men looked as if they were going to lunge at each other from across the table. Tempers were flaring and they were no closer to coming to a solution than they had been that morning. This was proving to be counterproductive. Due to the sensitive nature of the problem, Jed decided to step in.

“Alright, you two, this is getting nowhere. We’re going to wait for Fitzwallace’s sources to give us recon photos of the actual situation regarding the command control in the field. I want you both to go home and cool down, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow – today in fact, it’s a little after midnight now.” Jed said looking at his watch. He dismissed everyone. Leo stayed behind, to glare at his president. 

“You know how I feel about him, sir”

“Yes, you’ve made it hard to ignore, Leo.”

“Is there absolutely no one else we can work with?”

“Marbury is the best in the field, he has contacts in both countries right down to grass root level, he speaks the languages, he knows how the customs work, he even knows how the Indian Prime minister takes his tea for Goodness’ sake, Leo. If anyone can talk India down the ledge it’s him. You need to find a way to work with him.”

Leo knew he was right, but that didn’t mean he was going to look happy about it. “Can’t wait for this to be over and done with.” Leo muttered.

“Me too. But for better reasons.” Jed smiled mischievously “I kind of like having him around.”

“Yeah, you would. Any chance to torture Gerald.” Leo sighed on his way out and Jed laughed. 

 

Leo’s office:

Leo walked to his office through the now almost empty building. He was so engrossed in the statistical summary on War Crimes in South East Asia he was reading that upon entering his office, he didn’t notice that his chair was already occupied.  
He walked to the middle of the room finishing the last paragraph on the page, when he finally looked up, Leo saw Marbury leaning back in Leo’s chair looking at him pensively. 

“Oh Lord help me.” Leo turned on his heels to leave his own office. It really had come to that. 

“ Oh come now Leo, don’t let me banish you from your own sanctum sanctorum. It is your office after all, I am but an over-credentialed trespasser of sorts. You’re not going to leave me alone here are you? Who knows what state secrets I might make myself privy to, accidentally of course.”

Leo turned around “So I’m Leo again?”

“I beg your pardon?” Marbury’s brow furrowed.

“You called me Gerald down in the situation room before. Am I back to being Leo, the Chief of Staff then?” Leo hoped the other man didn’t miss the sarcasm that laced his voice.

Instead of taking the bait Marbury kept looking at Leo intently. The intense scrutiny was making Leo a little hot under the collar. He moved to sit down on the couch Marbury had previously occupied. “Look, your Lordship, we have to find a way to work together. We can’t keep doing this, it’s a waste of time and energy, it serves no one.” Leo had even managed to use the phrase ‘your lordship’ unironically.

Marbury got out of the chair and walked around to sit on the other end of Leo’s couch. “Call me John and yes indeed, I am inclined to agree. We are civilised men of a certain stature after all. The passive aggressive waltz must stop, though it has been rather fun dancing with you Leo.”

Leo smiled despite himself and Marbury smiled at his smile. 

“You’re certifiable you know that?”

“Only in the best way possible.”

Leo shook his head, the corners of his mouth still turned slightly upwards.

“You know, as far as I can stretch my rather admittedly selective remembrances, I don’t think I have ever seen you smile in my presence before.” Marbury mused. 

“Yeah that’s because it usually comes upon when you leave.” Leo replied good-humouredly. 

Marbury feigned hurt and then said “I’ve always liked you though, Leo.”  
“Yeah? Well you sure have a funny way of showing it.” Leo said as he leaned forward to put away the statistical summary he realised he was still holding. 

When he leaned back he saw Marbury looking at him again, perusing him almost. His eyes intense, his hair flopped forward on his forehead, his cheek-bones high, his mouth slightly pouting, he looked like as if he was calculating something. Leo realised he was staring right back. 

Leo cleared his throat “its getting late, we should—”

As he stood up he felt a hand close around his wrist. He looked down in confusion, and saw Marbury looking just as confused. He let go immediately. “Sorry, I don’t know why I did that.” He muttered absently. 

Leo, still puzzled, crossed over to his to gather his belongings. 

“Actually, I do.” Marbury stood up confidently and strode over to Leo who had his back toward him, turned him around, held his face and kissed him square on the mouth. 

At first Leo was too shocked to register what had just happened to him. Lord John Marbury, Earl of Croy, Marquess of Needham and Dolby, Baronet of Brycey, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States for the United Kingdom, had just kissed him—was kissing him, his mouth warm and pliant on Leo’s.  
Reality hit and Leo pushed him away with both hands. “What is the matter with you? Are you insane?”

“Certifiably so.” Marbury mumbled looking dazed. He ran a hand through his raven black hair as he walked out the door leaving Leo dumbfounded. 

 

The Watergate suite:

Leo didn’t remember how he got home from his office, but there he was. Wrapped around his own arm was a coat other than his own. He remembered he had noticed that Marbury had forgotten his overcoat at Leo’s office. He must’ve picked it up on the way out.  
He ran his fingers through the cashmere blend, turned it to look at the label, Burberry, figures. Did he dare? Leo held it to his nose and smelled it. It smelled of tobacco and aftershave. It smelled indisputably of Marbury. 

He changed for bed and slipped under the covers but try as he might he couldn’t fall asleep. Thoughts of Marbury plagued him along with a plethora of questions. Was Marbury gay then? His fascination with the First lady’s breasts was national knowledge by now, all the flirting he partook in, the time he had called Margaret buxom... no that cant be, Marbury was not gay. Why had he kissed Leo then? Was it another of his outrageous-pushing-the-envelope antics? It didn’t feel that way. He was acting strange and different. What was it then? Did Leo want to find out? He didn’t understand at all what had happened at his office. All he knew was he hadn’t disliked it. 

 

Leo’s office:

Leo was conducting a staff meeting in his office; Toby and CJ bickered about school vouchers. Josh and Sam were in disagreement about the dropped healthcare bill. Leo was spaced out, barely listening. When it became unnaturally silent he looked up at them. They were looking at Leo, apprehensive. He had never let them go on for this long without putting them back in line. 

“Earth to Leo. Come in Leo.” CJ joked weakly

“I’m here, stop horsing about, you four. Josh, where are we with Senator Doyle?” Leo snapped back.

“He’s scared to approach his caucus because of the expected blowback but I think with the right incentives we can get his courage up.”

“Good. Make it happen. Did you get everything you need on the Indo-Pak situation from Margaret?” He asked looking at CJ

“I did, I’m briefing at 1PM. Thanks for keeping me in the loop” CJ replied graciously. 

“You got it, kid. Now run along. We have a country to run.”

They muttered their thanks and dispersed.

“Margaret!” Leo called

Margaret entered his office, looking unusually pleased. 

This was not lost on Leo who said “I take it you got the flowers then?”

She nodded, “They’re beautiful, thank you” 

“Don’t mention it, just get me the strongest coffee you can find, I didn’t sleep a damn wink last night” he grumbled. 

“Ah, that makes two of us then” said the voice of a man who had dominated Leo’s thoughts for an inappropriate amount of time. And then the man himself appeared. He turned to Margaret “Might I say Madame you glow positively brighter every time I see you.” He said kissing Margaret’s hand boldly. Margaret turned a blush to match her hair, awestruck by this handsome Englishman with his posh accent. Leo visibly balked. “Margaret, that will be all.”

 

Margaret pulled her hand away as if she had been shocked and walked out quicker than usual. 

Marbury walked further into the office and shut the door behind him and leaned against it. 

“You run a tight ship around her, captain Leo.”

Leo was caught a little off guard. Did Marbury not remember last night? He surely wasn’t drunk or Leo would’ve tasted it. At that thought his mind drifted back to the kiss. How can he walk in here so jovial and unaffected? It made Leo just a little bit angry. 

“Can you manage to keep your hands off my staff? I don’t know how they do it on your side of the ocean but on this side we take sexual harassment very seriously.”

Marbury walked toward the desk and Leo couldn’t help admire Marbury’s graceful gait. 

“Is that what I did last night?” He stood behind one of the chairs and tilted his head slightly, studying Leo. 

“What?” Leo sounded defensive.

“Sexually harassed you, I mean. Is that what you feel last night was then? Am I going to get served when I least expect it?” Marbury looked around as if someone was going to jump from behind the bookshelf and serve him papers right there.

“What are you talking about? I’m not suing you, your lordship.” Leo replied 

“Good, I suppose that works out well seeing how you couldn’t even if you wanted.” Marbury said self-assuredly.

“Oh?” Leo raised his eyebrows

“For one, Leo, I possess this often overlooked yet significant legal armour called diplomatic immunity. And for another, I think you liked it.” 

“You can’t get prosecuted, but you can get expelled y’know?” Leo countered, ignoring the second reason. 

“For planting one on the delectable chief of staff? I think not.”

Leo was at a loss for words, before Marbury could enjoy it too much, the president walked in from the door joining the two offices. 

 

“You two getting along then, I see. Good, excellent.” Jed positively beamed at the two men. Completely oblivious. “Shall we head to the situation room, gentlemen?”

The Situation Room:

The joint chiefs looked visibly uncomfortable, being accustomed to the disciplined military way of life, they were not used to any scenario where a chain of command wasn’t strictly followed. Orders were given and commands were taken. 

Here, however, insults were given and offence was taken. Marbury and Leo fought at each point with renewed passion. Leo supported a more aggressive approach to the Indian occupation of the neutral land that lay between India and Pakistan. While Marbury was all for his ‘carrot and stick’ approach as he called it, he wanted to bribe India with infrastructure for a silicon valley like region in the city of Mumbai. 

After much debate and passive aggressiveness which was losing its passive component, a compromise was reached. India would be given the incentive but with a time period to accept or withdraw after which a more assertive stance would be adopted. 

Marbury left early to negotiate with the Indian government. Everyone shook hands, relieved and optimistic. 

Leo’s Office:

Leo entered to see Marbury already there, lounging on his sofa donning the overcoat Leo managed to bring back, completely at ease. 

“I’m sorry, do you live here now?” Leo asked sarcastically

“Would you mind terribly?” Marbury asked not looking up from the magazine he was reading. 

“Not at all, I was just wondering if I should offer to have Margaret forward your all your mail here too.”

“Shut the door, Leo.” Marbury ordered, still not looking up.

“Excuse me?” 

“You heard me.” 

“What for?”

This time Marbury did look up. He tossed the magazine aside, got off the sofa and walked over to Leo, reaching a hand over his shoulder; he shut the door behind Leo and locked it, trapping him between his body and the door. 

Leo held his breath as Marbury looked him in the eyes before leaning into him, enjoying the proximity. Marbury gave him plenty of opportunities to push him away, to stop him, Leo ignored them all. Their foreheads touched, then their noses and finally their lips. The kiss was gentle at first but quickly became passionate. Marbury’s tongue slipped into Leo’s mouth, exacting a gasp. Leo’s hands roamed Marbury’s body, his neck, his chest, his nipples, his hips. When Leo cupped his ass and pressed against it, Marbury moaned into Leo’s mouth.

Leo suddenly became mindful of the presence of Margaret on the other side of the door and the president on the other side of the second door, the one that connect their office through a foyer.

He separated himself from Marbury, who looked extremely disheartened and somewhat disappointed at the loss of contact.

“Not here” he whispered, his hands smoothing over Marbury’s askew collars. 

Marbury narrowed his eyes questioningly.

“My place after work?”

Marbury smiled in response.

 

The Watergate:

Leo and Marbury walked through the lobby of the Watergate, trying not to walk too close so as to not look like they were going to do exactly what they were going to do upstairs later. And not so further apart so as to look suspicious.  
The elevator ride was the most sexually charged one Leo had ever experienced. The look Marbury was giving him, so full of anticipation and lust, sent shivers down Leo’s spine, he had to lick his lips because his mouth had gone completely dry. The sight of Leo’s tongue hitched Marbury’s breath. The teasing, intended or otherwise, had had full effect. They both were desperate to touch each other. 

Once inside, their mouths found each other’s and their hands pulled urgently at any and all clothing. 

“Where’s the bedroom?” Marbury asked, breathlessly.

“Through there.” Leo pointed. 

“Show me”

Leo walked into the bedroom and Marbury followed.  
Marbury undressed himself completely and then undressed Leo. Feeling the planes of his body. Stroking him devotedly everywhere except his erection. 

“I must admit, I’ve fantasised about this. About you” 

“Me? I honestly thought you didn’t even like me.”

“Quite the opposite” Marbury chuckled. “Don’t you see, Leo. I had to cover up the inconvenient little fact that I had taken a shine to you, a crush you might say. I thought it would go away, you do live across an ocean and I couldn’t take the chance of you ever finding out.”

“So you’re trying to tell me I put up with your asinine behaviour all this time because you had a school girl crush on me?” Leo asked in disbelief 

Marbury chuckled, capturing Leo’s lips with his own in a searing kiss. Leo wrapped a hand around his neck and the other around his waist and pulled him closer. They both moaned when their erections aligned, they started rubbing against each other. 

Leo pushed them to the bed, his lover took the hint and climbed into it. He lay on his back as Marbury kissed his ear, nibbling his earlobe, making Leo’s body writhe uncontrollably, he trailed kissed and sucked down to his chest, enjoying his reaction. He rolled one hardened nipple with his tongue and sucked on it. While he snaked a hand down and wrapped it around Leo’s erection.  
As his kisses lowered, Leo’s breathing shortened. Marbury kissed the inside of his thighs, moving closer but not yet close enough. Leo moaned, thrusting himself forward. Marbury smiled mischievously. 

“Tell me what you want, Leo.”

Leo looked down at the man leaning between his thighs. “I want you to suck me off, your Lordship” he said with a smile of his own.

“Please” Marbury said “call me John” as he lowered his mouth and took all of Leo in. He sucked him off, giving him what Leo could only call, the best blow job of his life. Marbury seemed to lack a gag reflex and as Leo became more and more frantic he increased suction and went faster. His hand went down and into Marbury’s hair as he steadied him. Marbury released him with a satisfying pop and looked up. Leo pulled him up and kissed his talented mouth. Rolling them over so that he was on top. 

“I’m going to fuck you real good now, John” Leo said, his eyes glazed with passion

“looking forward to it” Marbury practically purred

Leo kissed him some more and asked him to turn around. Seeing Marbury waiting and open for him made him harder if that was possible. He began massaging his shoulders, his back and his ass to relax him, he then surprised him by leaning down to lick along Marbury’s crack and sprinkle kisses on his cheeks. When he was content Marbury was relaxed enough. He reached to the bottom bedside drawer and pulled out a tube of astro glide. 

Applying a generous amount of lube on his fingers. He inserted one into Marbury who moaned at the welcome intrusion. As he began to buck backwards Leo inserted more fingers, finally when Marbury thought he was going to go insane with need, Leo withdraw his fingered and replaced them at his opening with his cock. Leo entered him completely then almost pulled out again, and then he thrust completely in. Pounding in and out of him, one hand holding him in place by his hip, with the other he reach down to take his cock in his hands, and started pumping him to the rhythm he was thrusting. Marbury came as soon as Leo started hitting his prostate. Hearing his name from Marbury’s mouth in rapture pushed Leo off the edge and he spilled into Marbury.

They both collapsed. Leo gingerly pulled out of him and they lay lazily in each other’s arms. 

Leo broke the silence “you know, when the president asked me to find a way to work with you, I don’t think, this is what he had in mind.”

Marbury laughed and Leo felt a flutter in his chest. He could get used to that laugh he thought.


End file.
